Records From the Void: Chapter 7 - Kadi
We catch up with Kadi
As I sat surrounded by endless bookshelves of records kept, my mind wandered. If I could just change how this happened, then maybe things would be different now. Maybe we should get a do over. I think I deserve one, I sighed quietly to myself. But rules are rules. Nothing’s to be changed.
It itched now. Johnson never told me it would itch so badly. At first it was just a strange sensation, but now I must refrain from tearing my skin off. I never wanted this. I never wanted to go out like this. I was supposed to end this.
Supposed to. But in the end I hadn’t been strong enough to resist the Blight. I caved to peer pressure thinking it’d be enough to satiate The ARC. It wasn’t. They’ve always wanted more. Johnson’s always wanted more. And the second he found out the Blight was otherworldly he latched onto it like the leech he is. His thinking was the parasitic relationship would be worth it. The voids did nothing to help. I tried to tell him, warn him not to nurture it. I tried to tell Birk and Elouise as well. Everyone just seemed high off of what they thought was some new scientific discovery. Well I knew better. And I’ve known better. I should have stuck to my principles. Maybe if I had done that they wouldn’t be after the Record Room now. I should never have told them what the strange building they found while inside the void was. I should have lied and said “Well I have no idea!” I didn’t though, I was honest. Told them all I knew in hopes they’d understand the gravity. And now I wished I hadn’t been so forthcoming.
I huffed as I stood up to leave. The longer I remained there the more I got the urge to make changes. I’d never felt the need to do that before, but I was different now. I made my way past the endless shelves of books and records, past the stone tablets whose tops I couldn’t even begin to see as they disappeared into the darkness above me. I left the library behind as I entered the lobby.
As I signed out and turned around to leave, I was greeted by a small black creature. One who I knew hadn’t been there before.
“Hello Keeper.” I addressed them formally. They looked like a cat, but I knew better. The form they took was ever changing to fit their needs. I wasn’t fond of their cat disguise.
“Rare to see you inside, usually you stick to your pedestal.” Silently they approached me before they stood up on their hind legs and began to paw at my bag. They never broke eye contact. I knew what they wanted. I reached into the bag and pulled out another cassette tape at random. It didn’t matter anyways. All that mattered was that it was a tape that belonged here. I held the tape tight as I spoke once again to the Keeper.
“Give me a moment to write up something.” I pulled out my own journal and flipped to a back page, untouched by my pen, and tore out a half of it. The sound of the tear made me shudder. It reminded me of the torn edges between our world and the endless disjointed void behind it. Shaking the feeling off, I used the podium the sign in book was rested on and scrawled a quick few lines before I folded the page up and handed it to the Keeper along with the tape.
“I certainly hope we’re on the same page this time.” The creature stared at me as its body twisted to take in the items. I watched as the cassette tape and note disappeared within the formless dark parts of the Keeper, who quickly reformed back into the shape of a house cat. They gave no indication they understood my words, but I knew they did.
We walked out of the lobby and back out into the darkness of the void. The only light came from a few scattered lanterns that adorned the steps, and the ambient light that reflected off the marble building. I made my way down the steps, counting them as I went as to not lose my place.
Maybe I should let them into the Record Room. I mean what does it matter anyway? The thought entered my head abruptly. No. No I can’t do that. It wouldn’t be right. I fought it off like an intrusive thought. The Record Room had all that’s left of what’s come before and what will come after. The ARC tarnishing that legacy and pawning off eclectic pieces of history is something I couldn’t allow.
But I can’t go like this, can I? It’s been difficult to think of anything but the Blight. It’s consuming me and my mind. I have to stay focused. No one else can keep the Record Room safe but Molly and I.